How to Domesticate a Saiyan
by Cthulhu555
Summary: Stories about Vegeta adjusting to life as a regular father to a human-alien hybrid child, while being married to the richest person on Earth, and a fighter capable of destroying galaxies. Normal Stuff. Begins right after the Buu saga, where after Vegeta's sacrifice, he decides to be better to his family and friends, if it kills him.
1. Intro

"Bulma, are you sure we have to let them in?"

"Yes, Vegeta, now open the door." Bulma called from the kitchen, carrying several trays.

Vegeta groaned then got off the Capsule Corp couch and walked towards the door. He unlocked it and opened the door to the smiling face of Kakarot, his wife, and their youngest brat, on Goku's shoulders.

"Hey Vegeta!" Goku smiled and waved, which Goten mimicked.

"Kakarot."

There was a long pause before Bulma walked up behind him.

"Are you going to let them in?"

"I guess."

Vegeta stepped out of the way and the Son family walked in. They took a seat in the luxurious Capsule Corp living room, on couches made of the most exotic fabrics. Snacks (To normal humans, a feast) were set out on a table in front of them.

"Gohan can't come today, he's on a date with Videl." Goku explained, and Bulma said, "Oooooohhh!" Like a teenage girl learning of her best friend's crush.

"Heheheh yeah, it's pretty funny, he's all shy and embarrassed about it."

"Pfft. If he was raised properly, he wouldn't need dates, or looooove." Vegeta said the last word slowly and with disdain.

"But what about your family, Vegeta?"

"Well, uh…" Vegeta stammered, seemingly stuck in a corner.

"The Saiyan race is almost extinct, I have to keep the bloodline alive, even if it means mating with the far inferior Human species."

Everyone rolled their eyes and Trunks ran in.

"Hey Goten, wanna go play outside?"

Goten looked up at his mom with a pleading look, who smiled and gave a thumbs up.

"Yes!" Goten got up and ran with Trunks to the backyard, and Bulma called after them, "Don't run in the house!" A faint, "Got it!" was heard and then a door slamming.

"See what I mean? If that kid was a true Saiyan, he wouldn't play, he would train! He wouldn't have friends, he would have punching bags! Targets! Rivals!" Everyone laughed. "What's so funny!? Don't mock me! What!?"

"Vegeta, do you know how they 'play'?" Bulma asked. Vegeta just looked confused and angry that everyone was still holding back laughter.

"N-no." He stammered.

Bulma opened a curtain to see Goten and Trunks outside, moving so fast they could barely be seen. Goten held a stick and Trunks was evidently supposed to dodge every strike. Goten moved as fast as he could, striking in every direction. Trunks was just as fast, half the time he was so fast that he was able to get behind his attacker.

"See? All they do is train, thanks to your guidance, oh great prince." Vegeta crossed his arms and made a small "Humph," noise. As Bulma was about to close the curtains again, Trunks fell to the ground, hard. Vegeta jumped out of his chair, and so did Goku.

"Kakarot! Your kid just hit Trunks, I'll kill him!"

"Wait, Vegeta! Look!"

Goten had bolted to Trunks, but was immediately grabbed by the leg, flipped, and slammed into the ground. Trunks dusted his hands, then started laughing and pointing. They heard Trunks say "Gotcha!" so loud that they heard it through the window. He helped Goten up, and took his shoulder, before going to sit down under a tree's shade.

"See, he's fine!"

"Hmph. Lucky for you, Kakarot. And your brat."

Vegeta was staring down Goku, and Chi-Chi decided to try and defuse the situation.

"How about we eat now?"

Goku's attention was immediately taken and he stared at the table hungrily. Vegeta tried to hold his focus, but gave in and sat down again before digging in, keeping a wary eye on Goku. He spoke in between shovels of food, saying, "Don't think this is over, Kakarot."

"Well Vegeta, it is nice to know you do care about your child." Bulma said as she held a pastry. Vegeta opened his mouth to respond, then seemed to falter. He knew that there was no point in arguing, he had said as much to Trunks, and if nothing else, his little outburst proved it. He knew it, and as much as he loved to pretend otherwise, he loved his family and a thought occurred to him in that moment, the thought that maybe he should show it a bit more often. Vegeta had conceded that Kakarot was stronger, but that wouldn't stop him from fighting to become better. However, he resolved that while he had a goal to beat Kakarot, he could also have a goal to be better to his friends and family. He had almost lost them all during the incident with Buu, and he had come to terms with what he would eventually have to become: A regular father.


	2. The Prince of All Shopping

"I am the Prince of all Saiyans, one of the strongest beings in the universe, a brutal killer, a proud warrior, and above all, a super saiyan. And you want me to what?"

"I want you to come run some errands with me, like a regular father."

Vegeta cringed. He had decided a good first step in his goal was to confide in someone, so he chose his wife. She was delighted to hear this, and glad to help whenever and however he needed, but that didn't mean she wouldn't exploit it from time to time. She knew that with those two words, the Prince would become putty in her hands. Vegeta was wearing a red T-shirt to show off his muscles, which he had recently become more proud of, and bulma was wearing a simply yellow dress.

"Trunks is over at Goku's house, and we need groceries and some other things.

"Are you sure normal fathers do this? I've never heard of Kak- Goku going to the store."

"Well, Goku isn't quite normal either, but he's not trying to be. Come on, it won't be that bad. I'll even get you lunch while we're out, and I'll try to make it fast."

"Why do I get the feeling that this will be the longest day of my life?"

"Oh look at that, you are smarter than you look."

"What's the problem?"

"You're expecting me to get in that?" Vegeta pointed towards Bulma's car, a relatively large, red, SUV made for style and luxury.

"Yes. Are you going to fly and carry all the groceries back home?"

"You know I could."

"Do you have any idea how many groceries we buy?"

"Please, Bulma, I'm the prince of all saiyans, I can carry anything."

"It's not the strength bit, it's the fact that we'll be carrying literally hundreds of bags home. That's why my dad is bringing his car too." She gestured to Dr. Briefs, who was getting into a car that was practically a monster truck, with a pickup truck's rear.

"Why do we need so much food?" Vegeta grumbled from the passenger seat.

Bulma laughed. "Are you kidding!? Between you and Trunks alone we need at least 60 pounds of food a day, not to mention the 15 or so pounds for dad, mom, and I."

"We better get lots of meat."

"We will."

Vegeta walked up to the automatic door of the local Quick Food-Mart, with Bulma close behind with a cart. As soon as he entered, a jet of cold air pushed his hair down, causing it to break off into odd and ugly shapes like it had a mind of it's own.

"Damn it! Now I look like Ka- Goku! Damn it!" Vegeta said angrily as he attempted to fix his hair using a mirror near the entrance. Bulma was laughing hard, both at his hair and his inability to break the habit of calling Goku by his Saiyan name. The adjustments he would make to his life would be small, she knew, but no less hard.

"Shut it Bulma! I-" Bulma was glaring at him harshly, clearly not okay with his response.

"I love you, Bulma." Vegeta mumbled.

"What was that, dear?"

"I love you, Bulma." Vegeta said exasperated.

"That's better." She smiled as she walked by, leaning on the cart, giving him a quick peck on the the cheek . He was about to follow her when a man in a blue vest and khakis appeared in front of him, holding what looked like a brochure, with a smile that was all too enthusiastic.

"Excuse me sir, would you like a-"

"No thank you, I-"

"But sir, it has several coup-"

"I said-"

"Sir, just a moment of your-"

"NO!" Vegeta yelled with all his rage. His power surged for a moment, not enough to do damage, but enough for the man to feel it. Vegeta walked away looking at the floor, hoping no one noticed as he was trying to keep a low profile. The man just stood there, shocked, eyes the size of dinner plates.

"What took you so long?"

"I was… held up."

"Whatever. Here, take this list." Bulma handed Vegeta a slip of paper. "Go find everything on there and then we'll meet here when you've got it all.

Vegeta walked off, grabbed his own cart and strolled around grumpily. It didn't take long for him to realize he was lost. He was unfamiliar with the layout and traditions of a human store, and was soon wandering around hoping to find something, anything, on his list. Alas, his efforts were in vain. Even with all his time, he was unfamiliar with the names of food, usually just eating whatever was put in front of him without a second thought. Now, it was coming back to haunt him.

"Excuse me sir?" Vegeta turned to face another man in a blue vest and khakis.

"Are you looking for anything in particular?"

"No. No, I'm fine."

"Alright, I'll be around if you need me." He said before walking away. The biggest mental conflict of Vegeta's life began at that moment. Would he swallow his pride and accept the help, or find his way on his own, without the help of a pathetic, high-school dropout, earthling?

"Actually…" The man stopped in his tracks. Vegeta glanced at his nametag.

"Max. I could use a bit of help."

"Great!"

Vegeta hoped above all else that he wouldn't talk.

"So sir, have you ever been to the aquarium? I went the other day and…"

'Damn it.' Vegeta thought

Vegeta expected to hate "Max," but that's not how things went. Despite the awful start, he didn't talk too much. He talked sparingly, and more importantly was highly subservient. He knew his place, did what he was told and seemed to only exist to server, listening to anything Vegeta said intently, not arguing with him about anything; it reminded him of how people used to treat him, how they still should. He proved to be a valuable asset in such an unknown place, and Vegeta did not regret his decision. He was almost done with his list when

Max became a little more talkative, but a little less enthusiastic.

"So, uh, what was your name again? Sorry, I forgot."

"I never gave it to you."

"Oh. Heh. Then, uh, what IS your name?"

"Vegeta."

"Oh. Cool. So uh, listen…"

"Have I stopped?"

"Heheheh, no, no you haven't. Uh, do you have any kids that are around 8 years old?"

'How old is Trunks?' Vegeta thought to himself. '8? Probably 8. I'm sure he's close enough.'

"I do."

"Great! Uh, I mean, well." Max sighed

"Okay, this is a little awkward, but I have a son, who's 8. He's shy and doesn't have any friends. You seemed like a good enough guy and I was wondering if, maybe we could set up a playdate, ya know, so they get to know each other. Best case scenario, they both gain a friend."

Vegeta was about to rebuke him and say all sorts of excuses, when he had a thought. 'What's more normal than being friends with the father of one of your son's friends?' Best of all, this would be a friend that Vegeta made on his own, without Goku, without the Z fighters, and without Bulma

"Sounds great." Vegeta said with a scheming smile that he hadn't worn in a long time.

"Oh hey Vegeta, where have you been?"

"I've been getting your stupid groceries, with some help."

"Hello, ma'am. You are?"

"Bulma, Vegeta's wife."

He extended a hand that she shook.

"So Vegeta, Goku called, and said he needs to talk to you later."

"Great. Just what I need. First though, I have a playdate for Trunks."

"What?"

"Max here has a son that needs a friend, and I thought that Trunks might do him some good." Vegeta winked at her.

"Oh, I see. Great!"

"Yeah, here's my number, so we can schedule it. Anyway, my shift ends about now, so I'll see you two later. Bye!"

Max left and Bulma put her hands on his hips. "What was that wink about?"

"Because, I just made a friend."

"What!? You mean that guy?"

"Yep."

"Well, I'll be honest, Vegeta, I'm impressed."

"Great, now can we go checkout and go home."

"Are you kidding? That was only the first load, we have at least three more."

Vegeta's yell of anguish could be heard for several city blocks.


	3. The Playdate to End All Playdates

"Bulma, how do you work this damn thing!?" Bulma had bought Vegeta a cell phone so he could communicate with everyone he knew, or vice-versa. Why anyone would want to communicate with Vegeta was beyond her, but that was their business. Vegeta was standing in the center of the living room, holding onto the device and becoming increasingly frustrated. Bulma stood up from her chair, where she was lounging and watching TV. She took the phone from his hands and pointed to a center button at the bottom of the phone.

"This is the home button it takes you home-"

"You mean this phone can teleport me? How?"

"No, Vegeta, that's not what-"

"Is that how Kakarot is able to teleport wherever he wishes? Did he learn it in space?"

"No! Vegeta, let me finish, please!"

"Fine, Fine. No need to shout at me."

Bulma was ready to glare him to death, until she saw his smile and realized he was joking. It's like she barely knew him anymore.

Trunks ran in. "Hey Dad, who's this kid I'm going to meet? Is he strong?"

"Honey, just hold on a-"

"No Trunks, he's a weak earthling, and you will not be fighting him. You will play, and have fun, without harming him."

"Oh, that sounds boring. Can I at least bring Goten?"

Vegeta gasped. 'What's better than bringing one kid to a playdate? Two kids to a playdate! This man will have no choice but to like me!'

"Of course you can bring Goten! You're a genius, Trunks."

Trunks swelled with pride, fists on his hips with a smile on his face. "Thanks Dad!" he yelled before flying up to hug Vegeta. Trunks hugged his dad, which Vegeta returned, then ran down the hall. Vegeta stood with a smile, and turned to see Bulma with a shocked expression looking him up and down.

"What?"

Bulma continued staring silently.

"What!?"

"Nothing. Nothing."

"No no no, that's not noth-"

"Oh look, Goku's on the phone for you, here!" Bulma tossed him the phone and dashed out of the room.

"Hey, Vegeta."

"What's the matter, Goku? Yes!" Vegeta pumped his fist, realizing he had finally said the name right.

"What?"

"Nothing." Vegeta said with a nervous look on his face.

"Oooookay. Anyways, the King of the Earth wanted to see me and told me something. He asked that we create a force, like an organization, all about protecting the world."

"Why? We do that anyway."

"Well, he wants people to see this public organization dedicated to the safety of the world. He's hoping that seeing these defenders will encourage lots of good stuff, including new, stronger fighters."

"Oh please, none will be stronger than a Super Saiyan, so what's the point of having more fighters?"

"Well, the main point is that it inspires people and makes them feel safe."

"Whatever. Who's leading it?"

"Hercule."

"Oh hell no! I'm not doing this!"

"Vegeta, hear me out!"

"No! I will not bow to that pompous buffoon!"

"You don't have to! He's only there because everyone on Earth knows him, so he can be a sort of spokesperson. He's a puppet. We're the real strength behind it."

"Hmmm. Fine, I'll consider it."

"Great! So far it's you, Krillin, Piccolo, Tien, Yamcha, and me."

"I said I'm considering it!"

"Come on, Vegeta, we both know you're going to join in the fun!"

"Hmmph. What about your sons?"

"Gohan's considering it. Goten says he'll only do it if Trunks will."

"Of course he's going to! Whether he likes it or not…" Vegeta glanced around him, ensuring his kid wasn't around.

"Is that all, Goku?"

"Think so. Bye, Vegeta!"

"Goodbye, Kakarot."

The phone clicked as the call ended, and as Vegeta realized his mistake, a streak of cursing broke from his lips, a streak that reverberated off the Capsule Corp walls.

"Alright Trunks, when we get there, make sure you behave yourself. That goes for you too, Goten." "Got it!" They said enthusiastically. The three of them had flown to a vacant lot about a block away from the address that Max gave him. Vegeta walked behind the children, with a hand on each of their shoulders'. Vegeta released his death grip on Trunks to pull out his phone and check the address. Then he double-checked. Then a triple. As he was thinking about taking some other, more extensive action to confirm what he couldn't believe, Max called out to him.

"Hey, Vegeta! Glad you could make it!" Max stood in front of a huge, lavish, house, bordering on a mansion, with several shiny sports cars and a fountain on the massive and immaculate front lawn. The house was a light blue, like the sky, with lots of large, glass, windows to display the luxurious insides. Both children had their mouths agape and said, "Woah!" but then Trunks added, "Eh, still not as good as my house."

Vegeta did not shut his jaw until he had crossed the street and shook hands with Max.

"So, are both of these two little guys yours?" He said cheerily as he bent down and gave them both high-fives.

"No, the purple-haired one is mine, and the other is his best friend. This is Trunks, and Goten."

"Nice to meet you guys!"

"Nice to meet you too, Max!" Goten said.

"Hi, Max." Trunks responded.

"So Max, uh, where's yours?"

"Oh he's inside, and his name is Brandon, by the way."

"Great, now let's get inside. I need to sit down."

Vegeta had one eye squarely set on Max, sitting opposite him at a table, and the other firmly on Vegeta's coffee mug that said, "The World is your Oyster" in pink letters. Vegeta's newest friend sipped from his own cup, then grabbed a donut from a box on the table.

"Help yourself."

"Not hungry, thanks." Vegeta was always hungry, but he didn't want his new friend to be "weirded out," by his Saiyan biology. The kids were already in the backyard with Brandon. Brandon was very shy at first, even hiding from his own father. When Max had finally found him under his bed, they saw that Brandon was a short, slender kid with jet black hair and large blue eyes. When he was in front of them, he looked like he was going to cry. Luckily, Goten was a big people person, and convinced him to play Paper, Rock, Scissors. Soon, Trunks jumped in and they took turns taking each other on in hand-to-hand combat. They even got to see Brandon smile after beating them both in a row.

"You're a psychic or something!"

"Like a wizard!"

"Or a wizard psychic!"

All three kids laughed, and in a barely audible, shaky voice, Brandon said, "Thanks. I'm Brandon."

"I'm Goten."

"I'm Trunks."

"Do you uh, wanna go outside and play with a ball?"

Neither really did, but they knew they were there to play with this kid and do what he wanted. Vegeta made it clear to them that for some reason, he really wanted to make a good impression, and if they did anything to mess this up for him, they would both regret it. He was vague, but they both knew that that was when Vegeta was at his scariest.

"Max?"

"Hmm?" Max looked up, mouth full of fried dough and chocolate icing.

"How can you, well, afford all of… this?" Vegeta gestured all around him, from the engraved mahogany table, to the fancy chairs they sat in, to the high-quality rugs on the ground and the huge TV screen on the wall, surrounded by paintings.

"Oh right! Have you ever heard the name Chite Trin?"

"No."

"Well, she's an actress. Does a lot of serious, drama movies. I had the fortune to meet her before she became famous, we married, and soon after, her career took off. She makes a lot, but unfortunately, she's always real busy and rarely home. Thus, I take care of the kid."

"Then why are you re-stacking shelves at a store?"

"During school time, when the kid's away, I like to take a job just to earn a little bit more and prevent myself from going insane with boredom. You can only watch TV shows and movies so many times, even if your wife is in them."

"Hunh. Well, we're pretty well off ourselves."

"Great. Want to watch TV?"

Vegeta was a bit disappointed that he didn't ask, and now he would have to blow Max's mind later by trying to subtly slip his wife into conversation. Vegeta was following Max to his set of twin recliners in front of the movie-quality screen. But then, he heard a small, but nearby explosion.

"What was that!?" But when Max turned around, Vegeta was gone. Or rather, unknown to him, in the backyard. Vegeta was steaming mad, and ready to deliver some vengeance for ruining the visit already, but when he got outside, he saw that all the children were just as confused. Max ran out seconds later.

"D-dad, what's happening?" Brandon was quivering.

"I don't know, Brandon, but let's get inside."

Another explosion happened, nearer this time, and Vegeta's face twitched.

"Come on, everyone inside!"

"You keep the kids, Max, I'm going to do some... scouting. Stay away from the windows."

"Are you crazy?"

"No, trust me. I…" Vegeta realized he could not say he was a planet-destroying alien prince that couldn't be harmed by anything a human, and more for that matter, could throw at him, so he made something up. "... I-I'm former special forces. I know what I'm doing."

"Okay, just, whatever you do, stay safe."

"Don't worry about me, get them somewhere safe."

"I've got a panic room."

"Perfect. Go there now."

Max ushered the children away, but Trunks ran over to Vegeta.

"Dad, are you sure about this? Don't you want help?" He whispered.

"No Trunks. Daddy's got some aggression to vent."

"On who?""On whoever thinks they can ruin my day." He snarled, before taking to the sky.


	4. A New Enemy

Vegeta flew towards the noise and tried to sense for energy. Immediately, a powerful signature flared into view, closeby. The signature was about as strong as Perfect Cell. Strong, but not strong enough. His face contorted with grim determination as he went faster towards his target. Vegeta was surprised at the carnage awaiting him. Whole building and streets were reduced to rubble, smoke and death was all he smelt. He folded his arms and slowed to a stand still over an intersection, currently flaming and filled with overturned cars. Vegeta floated 50 feet above the asphalt and sighed.

"You can come out, you know. I'd rather not play hide and seek before destroying you."

A black shape, like a cloud bled from the street below, flowing out of a crack. It rose and formed itself into a thin, tall, humanoid figure in front of Vegeta. The… thing, was horribly disproportioned, with long limbs, a wide torso, and no visible face, with the exception of a single, dull blue glow in the center of it's head.

"How did you know I was here?" the creature rasped in an intrigued, yet very formal voice.

"Spare me the conversation. Tell me who you are and what you want before I end you. Notice I didn't say 'or' I will end you, but before." He snarled

"Wait, wait!" The shape swirled, seemingly flustered and afraid. "Perhaps you can help pass along the tidings I bring. Yes, you'll do nicely."

Before it could continue, Goku appeared next to Vegeta and immediately dropped into his familiar fighting stance.

"Vegeta, who's this?"

"Don't know, don't care. Let's just kill it." Vegeta raised his arm and prepared a blast.

"If you try, you'll do more harm than good." the visitor chuckled.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean!?"

"It means you can't touch me, strong as you are. And if you miss…" the being rotated to show the destroyed streets below it, trailing off ominously. Survivors could just barely be seen from where they floated.

"Did you do this?" Goku asked.

"Yes, but my masters are coming to do far worse. Hear me and spread the words that will end your world!" The voice became forceful and booming like it was all around them.

"The end of your world is near! Soon, Rogash will be here to challenge your planet. Perhaps you will get through a few of his minions, maybe even be allowed to join his quest for power. But despair in the knowledge that you will never defeat him! When you fail to overtake him, your planet will be consumed, so I recommend saying goodbye to those you love. He will arrive within a week and make his presence known. Good luck." The shadow said smugly before evaporating with a whirring sound.

"What was that all about!?"

"It means we've got a problem on our hands, Vegeta."

"I know that! But why blow up a city block just to get our attention?"

"I don't know. This whole situation reeks of weird. What happened before I got here?"

Vegeta explained everything until Goku showed up, and something occurred to him.

"Goku, when I threatened to destroy him just before you arrived, he cowered in fear and groveled a bit. Why was he so confident and sure afterwards?"

"Seems to me like he was afraid of us not getting the message, but once we did, his job was done."

"Why would someone, or something, warn the Earth before attacking?"

Goku thought a moment then said grimly.

"It's what they'd do if they're looking for a challenge."

"So, someone just gave us advance warning of an impending attack, giving us time to prepare and beat whatever tries to take us down. Convenient, and familiar."

"I think we're going to have some fun real soon, Vegeta."

They both smiled, then quickly got to work picking people out of the rubble. Emergency relief showed up and helped those wounded while Vegeta and Goku recited the story they discussed while working; they were just walking down the street when they heard an explosion and came to help. After everyone was safe, news crews and crowds gathered to gawk at the carnage, but the Saiyans had business to attend to. They sat at a nearby cafe and discussed strategies and a plan.

"Kakarot, grab all our friends and tell them to meet at my house, 5 o' clock. We need everyone to know the plan and we need to prepare. Whoever these invaders are, they clearly don't care for the planet and that worries me. Our fighting doesn't matter if the Earth explodes."

"Got it. I'll bring Hercule, too."

Vegeta sighed. "I suppose we must." Then his eyes widened.

"Oh God, the kids! How long has it been!?"

"An hour or so, why?"

Vegeta didn't stay to answer as he bolted from his seat.

Vegeta pulled down his shirt, just now noticing how ruined it was, speckled with blood and covered in powdery cement dust. He walked in to find everyone huddled on the floor of the living room, watching the news on the TV.

"Daddy!"

"Uncle Vegeta!"

Both kids ran to Vegeta and hugged him. "What, I'm not your-" He looked down at his legs where Goten and Trunks held on. Sometimes he forgot just how little they were. He smiled and lay a hand on both their heads with a sigh. After a couple moments, he pulled them off, carrying one in each arm and walked to Max.

"What does the news say?"

"There was some sort of attack a couple blocks away. No one knows who's responsible. What happened to you?"

"I got there after the carnage, helped with some clean up and emergency relief. That's why it took so long."

"Had me worried for a bit there, man."

"Where's Brandon?"

"Well, he's having a bit of trouble coping. He asked to be left alone in his room."

"Don't you think you should, you know, talk to him?"

"Oh, uh, yeah… Probably. I'll be back." Max left sheepishly, like the idea of talking never occurred to him.

"I didn't think an Earthling could be a worse father than me." Vegeta said to himself when Max left, amazed at his ineptitude.

"So Dad, what's up? Who's out there? Are we going to fight them?Are they strong?"

"Listen up, both of you, because I'm only saying it once. Someone is out there yes, and we will fight them soon. We're all going home later to talk about it with Krillin, Yamcha, and the rest."

"Will Piccolo be there?"

"I would assume."

"Yay!"

"Don't get too excited, either of you. I'm glad you feel the Saiyan pride of fighting, but this is serious. Whoever these people are, they could be dangerous and we should not underestimate them. Understood?"

They solemnly nodded and looked down.

"On the bright side…" Both children looked up.

"You've been good today so I think we'll pick up ice cream on the way home."

"Yay!"

Max coaxed Brandon out once more and the kids played a bit longer. Max and Vegeta sat on the back porch, watching them kick around a ball while sipping tea.

"Man, what is this world coming to?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, it's just, all this destruction and chaos. It's crazy."

"Yeah." Vegeta didn't look him in the eyes as he sipped his tea, knowing of another impending attack.

"Anyway, I'm sorry to say, but I think you should take them home. I think we could all use a bit of rest." Max sighed deeply and suddenly seemed drained, in every possible way. Concern creeped into Vegeta's voice.

"Are you... Alright?"

"N-no." Max put his hands to his face and began to sob, and Vegeta grabbed him by the shoulder.

Vegeta said nothing, only hoping the children wouldn't see, mortified and confused. Eventually, he spoke.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I-i'm sorry, it's just…" Max sniffled. "I'm not cut out for this, fatherhood, thing. I'm barely responsible enough to take care of myself, much less another living being that depends on me!"

Vegeta grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him in close. He spoke quickly, with urgency, but in a measured tone, like each word was more important than the last.

"Listen to me Max. Being a father is not easy. It's hard and grueling. Sometimes it's downright torture. But in the end, it's worth it. And you may not like it, but your children need you, and they always will." Vegeta's mind spun as his experiences of what it meant to be a father swirled in his head, and the visions of the father he aspired to be, what he was, and what Max was swirled together. "Even if you aren't, you must be strong for them, you must be who they need you to be. And right now, Max needs a strong man. He needs you to be you and he needs you to be there. If you do that, then he could never ask for a better one. Understand?" Vegeta broke from his tirade and saw that he had ripped Max's shirt a little at the seams and found his chest heaving from his message. He released him and picked up his cup, timidly sipping from it as he faced forward towards the kids again. There was silence for a time.

"Sorry about the shirt." Vegeta said, not taking his eyes off the kids.

"It's, uh, it's fine. I could use a couple more anyways." His voice was shaky and he seemed numb.

After more silence, Vegeta added. "You're right. It looks terrible anyway."

Max slowly turned to face him, shock on his face.

"Your whole wardrobe, really. Not flattering."He took a long slurp, finishing the tea in the cup, before looking away.

They both began to chuckle, which became laughs, which became howling on the steps of Max's fancy back porch.

"Trunks, that better not get on the carpet!"

"Got it!" Goten and Trunks both held large bowls of ice cream with every topping the store sold, all sorts of candies and syrups covered their mounds of frozen confection as they ran into the house.

On entry, Bulma wrapped herself around Vegeta.

"Oh God, Goku told me everything, are you ok?"

"Stop fussing, I'm fine." He said as he crossed his arms, full of masculinity.

"Oh right, I forgot, I'm married to a macho man." She teased.

"No, you're married to a Super Saiyan. There's a BIG difference. Do we know how many are coming?"

"Not for sure, but I think everyone will be here."

"Good. I'll be in the training chamber. Tell me when Goku gets here."

"It's barely one, he won't be here for hours."

"No, we're talking about a fight. If I know Goku, he'll be here within the hour."

"I've known him longer, you know. I bet he shows up late." She said confidently.

The hint of a smile crossed Vegeta's face. "Is there a wager, Mrs. Briefs?"

"I don't know," She said as she bit her lower lip. "What kind of rewards are we talking about?"

She ran her hand across his chest and he smiled back, with a lust in his expression.

"Eew! Gross!"

"What!?" Vegeta whipped around to see Trunks and Goten sitting on the floor watching them.

"You guys are nasty!"

"What do you want!?" He shouted, holding Bulma close to himself, who herself was barely stifling laughter from the sudden surprise.

"Can we train with you?"

"Fine, but I won't go easy on you two!"

"It'd be boring if you didn't! Come on, Goten, I'll race you to it!" They both shot up and ran, knocking over the ice cream bowls they had next to them. Strawberry and chocolate syrup seeped onto the carpet below. Vegeta's neck bulged as he took several deep breaths, in and out. He pinched his nose between his thumb and forefinger.

"I had... one. Simple. Instruction." he mused as Bulma gave up and burst into laughter. He took another moment for self pity before he joined her in laughter, then set off to help her clean it up, all the while planning his upcoming revenge.


	5. The Briefing

"Listen up, brats, we're going to start at 300 times Earth's gravity. We'll see if you can handle that." Vegeta cranked up the machine as the kids stretched. Vegeta was so glad to be back in his armor, though he cursed at himself for his continued use of the term "brats." Just one more thing for him to change.

"Come on dad, give us a challenge!"

"This is just the warm up Trunks. Now, I'm going to come after the both of you. Don't let yourselves get hit. If either of you gets touched, the other one will pay later. No blocking, just movement."

"Sounds fun, bring it on!"

All three went Super Saiyan at the same time, ready to move.

"You're gonna regret those words, boy." He got a sadistic grin, golden hair flowing, just a moment before he lunged with blinding speed.

Vegeta breathed hard as he pressed a button on the console of the machine, responding to a call.

"What?"

"Goku's here."

"Alright, I'll be out with them in just a second."

"See ya."

"Hey, real quick, which of us won?"

She paused for a time. "What do you mean?"

"Our little bet." He said, breath levelling and smile widening.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Vegeta knew better by now than to try and argue his point while not face to face. She would just hang up. But she was forgetting one vital thing: he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. He did the hanging up this time.

"Bring it in, both of you!"

"Yeah!" They came together and high-fived

"You didn't even get us once, Vegeta!"

"Yes yes, I know. Come on, hurry up. Goku's here. The others won't be too far behind. We must prepare."

Both of them let their Super Saiyan go, their hair returning to normal as they descended towards the door. They began walking to the door, with Vegeta behind them. He placed a hand on their shoulders.

"Ah, there we are. Now I can punish you both."

"What!?" They both shouted, looking up at him, then their eyes fell upon his hands.

He smiled as he said, "I told you not to let me touch you. We'll continue later."

"That's not fair, you tricked us!"

"I never said it ended with training. Besides, you two should know better than to trust me by now. Come on." He jerked his head towards the house, pleased with himself and the progress of their training. Even if he **was** going easy on them.

"Hey guys, have you been training?" Goku sat on the ground in the living room as Bulma worked tirelessly to prepare food hours earlier than she thought she would have to.

"Yes. They've experienced Piccolo's training, but his training is nothing compared to a Saiyan's."

"I can hear you." Piccolo said from the other room.

"You were meant to, Namekian."

"Hmph."

"Goku, who else did you bring?"

"Just Piccolo. Everyone else will be here when we said."

"Oh, how gracious of you to only bring one person hours early to a meeting."

"Goku didn't tell me when we were actually supposed to be here, he just told me to come now. Sorry."

"Bah! Not your fault, it's the fool's."

Goku chuckled and got up, before he lifted Goten above his head.

Vegeta folded his arms and rolled his eyes, which landed on a clock. Suddenly it all came flooding back and a smile crossed his face. It was 1:40, twenty minutes before his guess expired. He strutted into the kitchen, grabbing his wife from behind, reaching his arms around her.

"What's this? Intimacy and romance? Is it my birthday or something?"

"No, but it is a very special occasion."

"Oh, and what's that?"

"I'm right."

"What? I don't- oh."

"Yeah."

"You jerk! I thought you were being sweet, but you just showed up to mock me!"

"No, I came to give you a preview."

He turned her around and pressed his lips to hers. They kissed passionately for several long seconds. They pulled away and Bulma stared for a while before saying,

"Fine, I'll let you off this time."

Vegeta chuckled then left the room, remembering the serious business that was to be conducted in a few short hours.

Everyone made light conversation and watched various TV shows, waiting for the rest to arrive. It was currently on a sit-com about roommates.

"Eugh! How do people watch this drivel!?"

"I don't know, ask your wife."

"Watch it, slug."

"I'll watch it if you shut up and just watch the show."

"Wait, do you actually enjoy this?"

"That's none of your business." Piccolo folded his arms and continued to keep his eyes on the screen.

There was silence for a time, except for the TV with it's dialogue and occasional laugh track.

"It's good to have some humor in your life." Piccolo grumbled. From the look of him, he wouldn't talk again even if you coaxed him. He said what he wanted to say, and now he would say no more. Goku laughed at a gag on the show, while Piccolo chuckled slightly. Vegeta could do nothing except stare in confusion at the usually somber Namekian.

Mercifully, the door rang soon after, around 2:30. As Vegeta stood to answer it, he asked his present company a question.

"Who do you think? Place your bets."

"Krillin." Goku said.

"Krillin." Piccolo said without even looking.

"Yeah. Unfortunately, he tends to be eager to help, whether you want it or not."

He opened the door, but was surprised to find Yamcha instead.

"Hey guys! What's up?"

"Do you know what time it is?"

"Uh, like 2:30?"

"Yes-" Vegeta said in a high, condescending tone, "- follow up question, when were you supposed to arrive?"

"Uh, 5?"

"And yet you are here!" He yelled in Yamcha's face.

Yamcha wiped spit off his face then said, "Look, can I come in or not?"

Vegeta stepped aside in answer.

"Thanks. Hey Goku, what have you been up to?"

"Oh you know, training, mostly. Goten has a lot more energy than I expected. He's… well, he's a lot more trouble than Gohan ever was. I blame-" Goku remembered where he was and saw Vegeta glaring at him.

"What's wrong, Goku? Were you going to say something? A name, perhaps? My son's name?" He growled.

"No, no! I, uh…" Goku scratched the back of his head. "... I, hey, ya got any food?"

Vegeta's eyes narrowed and he said, "Yes, yes we do. Then after, we have a debt to settle."

"What?"

"Remember the day your br-kid," he corrected, "hit Trunks? We still have to discuss that. And by discuss, I mean spar in my gravity chamber."

"Sounds great, Vegeta! I'm always looking for a good fight!"

Vegeta still frowned. He expected at least a little bit more intimidation than that. Goku's lack of fear was infuriating sometimes.

"Ha! This show is great!" Yamcha sat on the couch and ate popcorn as Piccolo meditated on the floor in front of him. The doorbell rang, and Yamcha checked the clock. It was 4:42.

"Wow, they've been in there for over two hours. Do you think they're okay, Piccolo?"

"I don't doubt it. Or either of them for that matter."

The doorbell rang again and Yamcha got up to get it. He opened the door to find Tien and Krillin.

"Hey guys, Goku and Vegeta are training, but you're welcome to come in.

"Thanks, Yamcha."

"Oh, hey Piccolo!"

"Hello, Krillin." He said without opening his eyes.

"Piccolo."

"Tien."

With the greetings out of the way, everyone began talking, discussing how their "retirement," seemed to be only temporary.

"Well, I don't think I'll actually do anything." Yamcha said. "I'm probably just there for my aesthetic appeal" He made a face that everyone guessed they were supposed to be attracted to, but he just looked pained instead.

"Yeah, it's not like we could do more than a Super Saiyan. At least, not where Goku's gone."

"Aren't you forgetting someone?" Vegeta said from the hallway.

Everyone turned to see the two Saiyans walking towards them, clothes in tatters and bodies strained. Blood dripped from wounds on both of them, several on their faces, arms, and legs.

"Woah, you guys must've gone pretty hard." Krillin commented.

"Yeah, it got pretty intense!" Goku said with cheer.

"Uh, hello everyone. I'm… glad to see you all." Vegeta said, as polite and friendly as he could. This was his chance now. He'd made his own friend, but now he had to repair the friendships he already had by proxy. Piccolo opened his eyes and even raised an eyebrow, or at least, the Namekian equivalent. Vegeta restrained himself from loudly asking the green man what he was looking at, and instead began to think of something else to say that was pleasant, until the door knocked. There were only two people left to his knowledge. The half-saiyan and… him. He strode to the door and hesitantly opened the door.

"Hey everyone!" Gohan and Videl stood in the doorway. Videl held onto Gohan's arm, but pulled away embarrassed when she remembered where she was.

"Hello, Gohan. Thank God, it's you and not-"

"H-hey." Hercule poked his head between his daughter and future son in law, meekly waving at Vegeta.

"Oh."

Everyone stood there a moment, Vegeta watching Hercule, daring him to speak again.

"Won't you come in?" He said, stepping aside. Gohan and Videl walked in while Hercule scurried inside. Once he noticed that others were there, Hercule stood proud with a goofy smile before taking a seat, to save some face.

Vegeta was about to roll his eyes, but considered something. He didn't say he would be kind only to those he liked. He was improving his self, and if that meant being nice to Hercule, he would abide. Just maybe not yet.

"Hercule?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"What time is it?"

"Uh, 5:17?"

"And when were you supposed to be here?"

"5."

"That goes for you too, Gohan. And your girlfriend." Videl's eyes widened, and Gohan mouthed the word 'No!'

"What do you mean, Vegeta!? You can't honestly think my Videl could be with him! He's good, but really… I mean…" Hercule looked at them and the way they sat so close to each other. Videl and Gohan both studied the floor, and he seemed to realize something.

"Oh. I see. I guess he's alright." He shrugged and looked away.

"So, you're okay with this, Mr. Satan?"

"Please, Gohan, call me Mark."

"Mark?"

"Yes."

Vegeta suddenly felt himself pulled away by his ear. He broke away and saw his wife, clearly very angry. She was trying to take him away, probably to give him an earful. Vegeta accepted his fate and walked with her to the kitchen.

"Why did you say that!?"

"How was I supposed to know he wasn't aware!?"

"We all were! They barely even know they're dating! They're both too shy to actually admit it! Please use what little brain you have, it's the only muscle you don't use regularly."

"Fine, you're right."

"And another-! Wait, what?"

"You're right. I should not expose the emotions of others. Can we please go back now?"

"Well, uh, I had more insults, but I guess that's fine." She kissed him and as he walked away, she said, "Tell everyone I'll have food out soon."

"Got it."

"Alright everyone, time to get down to business."

Goku stood up, surrounded by empty bowls of food. Everyone sat waiting for him to begin, and Krillin turned off the TV.

"Vegeta, tell us everything you know."

Vegeta stood up and walked to the front of the room.

"Alright, here's what we know. Today, the city was attacked by a new threat to the Earth. A creature, like a shadow, destroyed a city block to get our attention. This shadow seemed to be a courier of sorts, they made a dramatic speech about someone named 'Rogash.' It sounds like this Rogash wants to attack the Earth and see if someone can stop him. Minions were mentioned, meaning this won't be a single fight. However, we've fought worse, and I don't think they'll be a problem. We have no way of knowing how powerful Rogash is, so we should be careful. Above all else, these people undoubtedly have the power to destroy the world, meaning we should try and move the fight if we can. If you want to fight, train. I won't be carrying dead weight."

He glared all around at the people gathered.

"That being said, I appreciate all of you coming. I hope to see you all there. You're welcome to stay a little longer if you like. Thank you for… being my friends."

Everyone stared, confused by his seemingly genuine compassion.

"I don't often show emotion, but in this case…" He looked around at everyone gathered. "We almost lost everything when that pink blob arrived. My home planet is gone, and I won't allow some misfit with a superiority complex to ruin my new home. Like I said, I'm going to fight, and I hope many of you will too. Thank you." Vegeta sat down in a chair, not daring to look at anyone, feeling his cheeks reddening and believing that everyone was prepared to burst into laughter at him. But no one did. The TV turned back on, and for once, Vegeta was grateful for the existence of cable television. With his report done, his mind wandered to better things, like the training he was going to put the boys through. Hell, he might even invite Goku. He was good at at least one thing: training.


End file.
